PHILIP Dunne MP has welcomed the launch of the Government’s new National Living Wage – giving a big boost to the lowest-paid in the Ludlow Constituency.

The Ludlow MP’s parliamentary declaration of interest included payment of £300 an hour for work done for the family business.

Workers aged 25 and over, and not in the first year of an apprenticeship, are legally entitled to at least £7.20 an hour under the National Living Wage – that’s an extra 50 pence an hour compared with the National Minimum Wage – a £20 a week pay rise for a full-time worker.

More than a million people across the country are expected to benefit directly from the National Living Wage, which is set to rise to £9 an hour by 2020.

At the same time, the tax-free personal allowance has increased to help people keep more of the money they earn.

The personal allowance will rise to £11,000 – a saving of £80 – and from April 2017 it will rise again to £11,500 – taking 1.3 million of the lowest-paid workers out of income tax altogether and giving a tax cut to 31 million across the country.

“South Shropshire deserves a pay rise, and I’m proud that this Government is delivering the higher-wage, lower-tax, lower-welfare economy we all want to see,” said Philip Dunne.

“Boosting wages and making sure more families have the security of a decent, regular pay packet, while ensuring that people are always better off in work, are at the heart of our long-term plan.

“The increased cost for businesses in Shropshire will in many cases be offset through reductions in business taxes and other measures.

“These include cutting employers' national insurance bills through a 50 per cent increase in the Employment Allowance, cutting corporation tax to 17 per cent by 2021 and cutting business rates permanently for those with smaller premises by more than doubling the threshold for small business rate relief, and raising the threshold for higher rate relief.”